Solstice community

Welcome to Douglas County School District!

Living in the Solstice community is a great idea for families with children because DCSD is your home district: We're proud to say our schools are great places for every student to learn, grow and thrive! Thanks to Douglas County voters' passage of Initiative 5A last November, a new public elementary school is coming to the Solstice/Sterling Ranch area! This new elementary school (referred to as Elementary School 51 until it is officially named) will open in August of 2027. Please scroll down to view renderings of the new elementary school and learn more about current DCSD neighborhood schools in the Solstice community.

Please note: Attendance boundaries for Elementary School 51 have not been determined yet. Those will be determined through a year-long, public process which will take place throughout the 2025-2026 school year and summer of 2026. Board of Education approval is required, by policy, one year before the school opens.

NEW SCHOOL IN STERLING RANCH (Elementary School 51) RENDERINGS

Your Current Neighborhood Schools

Elementary

TWO Choices:

Coyote Creek Elementary

Welcome to Coyote Creek! We are a neighborhood Preschool-Grade 6 elementary school in Highlands Ranch, Colorado. We opened our doors in 1995, and are proud to have served our amazing community for nearly 30 years. Throughout this time, Coyote Creek has remained a high-achieving school that has been awarded the John Irwin School of Excellence award as well as the Governor's Distinguished Award. We strive to nurture all areas of our students development and learning.

We're proud to be Coyotes, and are excited to welcome you to our school!

2861 Baneberry Ct
Littleton, CO 80129
Main Office: 303-387-6175
Principal: Amy Rahne

Coyote Creek Elementary website

Enroll at Coyote Creek Elementary

TrailBlazer Elementary

The academic program for grades K-6 at Trailblazer places an emphasis on every aspect of our student’s growth and development. We take advantage of the natural curiosity children possess by having our teachers present new information in creative ways using project based learning as our framework. Students learn through exploring and understanding various concepts and content using their own emotions and experiences. Our curriculum includes a variety of challenging projects and engaging content resulting in meeting and/or exceeding state requirements. Suitable class sizes and exceptional, qualified teachers allow Trailblazer to offer an intimate and inclusive educational environment, while also ensuring each student receives the individualized attention and support they need.

9760 S Hackberry St
Highlands Ranch, CO 80129
Main Office: 303-387-6250
Principal: Katie Sodaro-Jensen

Trailblazer Elementary website

Enroll at Trailblazer Elementary

Middle School

Ranch View Middle School

Mission Statement: Ranch View Middle School exists to provide students in grades 7 and 8 a high-quality International Baccalaureate education that develops inquiring, caring, open-minded, and thoughtful students who demonstrate intercultural understanding and respect for all people.

Vision Statement: Ranch View Middle School is a positive community of learners inspired to make the world a better place through authentic and challenging learning opportunities that foster strong global awareness.

1731 W Wildcat Reserve Pkwy
Highlands Ranch, CO 80129
Office: 303-387-2300
Principal: Erin Kyllo

Ranch View Middle School website

Enroll at Ranch View Middle School

High School

ThunderRidge High School

Our Mission:

Empowering Grizzlies by fostering curiosity, compassion, community and service.
Every student pursues their chosen path in society, including but not limited to post-secondary education, career, or military service.
Safety/security, Academic Relevance, Relationships, Skill Development, Critical Thinking and Inquiry skills.

1991 W Wildcat Reserve Pkwy
Highlands Ranch, CO 80129
Main office: 303-387-2000
Principal: Sean Patterson

ThunderRidge High School website

Enroll at ThunderRidge High School

Frequently Asked Questions About Elementary School 51

Who will be able to attend this school?

Students who live within the boundaries of the new DCSD neighborhood school, and are in the grades served by the school will be eligible to attend the new elementary school in the Sterling Ranch neighborhood. This includes all of the Solstice community and the majority of Sterling Ranch. Final boundary determinations will be established in 2026 by the Board of Education.

When will the school open? How big will the school be?

What if our students want to go to this school, but students from other areas have filled it up already?

While Colorado is a choice enrollment state (meaning families can enroll in a school other than their “assigned” neighborhood school), the Douglas County School District has policies in place to ensure that enrollment priority is given to families who live within a school’s boundaries. Families who reside in Sterling Ranch are guaranteed enrollment in the new elementary schools. Families outside of the school’s boundaries who wish to enroll may express their desire to do so via Douglas County School District’s Choice Enrollment process. However, students outside of the school’s boundary will only be accommodated per the DCSD Choice Enrollment Procedures (as space and programming permit).

What if our students like the school they are currently going to? Will they have to change schools?

How will the new school be named?

How can I get more involved?

Questions? Please feel free to email us here or subscribe to the DCSD newsletter here.

Points of Pride

DCSD is the top-scoring district in the Denver/Metro area.
We’ve exceeded our 2019 (pre-pandemic) scores in every subject and grade while the average American student is less than halfway to a full academic recovery.
DCSD ranks number 11 on the list of the 250 “most envied” school districts in the country by Test Prep Insight (we're the only Colorado district in the top 65!).

Preschool Information

DCSD implements two age-based classroom sessions, a.m. and p.m., available Monday through Thursday. This allows for targeted and age-appropriate learning opportunities in our classrooms. Each of our classrooms is programmed as a fully inclusive educational setting.

Learn more on our Preschool Page

Something for Everyone

To learn about any from early childhood education options to before- and after-school care, English-language development, special education, gifted education, or the wide variety of athletics and activities available to students, take a look at the links on our Programs page.

In This Section